Field Of Application
The present invention generally relates to the circuits for protecting electrical loads from overvoltages generated in electrical lines. In particular, the invention relates to a voltage shunt regulator for the protection of an electrical load from overvoltages and voltage transients.
Prior Art
In an electrical line, it is known to use voltage regulators to protect an electrical load connected to the line from overvoltages.
Among the voltage regulators that can be used for these purposes, linear regulators comprise a regulation device connectable between the supply voltage source and the load to be protected, i.e. such regulators are installed in series to the electrical line. Commercially available linear regulators comprise, for example, regulators of the semiconductor, ferroresonant or switching type.
Such known linear regulators have considerable limitations.
Firstly, since all the electric power passes through the linear regulator to reach the load, such regulators installed in series to the electrical line have efficiency loss and aging phenomena due to Joule heating.
Secondly, such linear voltage regulators are not able to protect the load from voltage transients.
Thirdly, such linear voltage regulators are characterized by considerable costs, dimensions and weights.